Rental Family

The film takes place in contemporary Japan, primarily in urban environments around Tokyo. The story moves between modern offices, studios, quiet neighborhoods, and intimate home interiors. The setting highlights the clash between Western fame and local expectations of family, tradition, and propriety.

The events unfold in present day, reflecting today’s gig-based acting scene and media culture. Modern technology and social media shape how characters present themselves and reveal truths, emphasizing the fragility of chosen family within a fast-paced, interconnected society.

Rental Family is a Japanese agency that hires actors to pose as family members for strangers. Clients hire actors to fill roles like fiancés, fathers, or relatives for various personal reasons, from staging weddings to providing companionship. The film explores the moral complexity of commodified relationships and performed emotions.

Phillip Vandarpleog is an American actor played by Brendan Fraser who works for Rental Family as the agency's self-styled 'token white guy.' Initially reluctant in his work, he forms meaningful bonds with clients, forcing him to question whether his professional roles can be emotionally genuine or inherently exploitative.

Kikuo Hasegawa is a retired actor with dementia who becomes one of Phillip's primary clients. He represents the themes of memory, aging, and the vulnerability of performers. His condition reframes memory as a fragile currency in care and connection, highlighting what people owe to those who once shaped their lives.

Shinji Tada is the owner and founder of Rental Family, portrayed by Takehiro Hira. He is a pragmatic and sometimes ruthless producer who prioritizes business outcomes over personal consequences. His profit-driven approach creates tension with Phillip's growing desire for authentic connections.

The theme of Genuine Connection explores how Phillip's work blurs lines between performance and real care as he forms authentic bonds with clients like Mia and Kikuo. The narrative questions whether genuine relationships can endure the pressures of a gig economy and corporate oversight, weighing the value of true empathy against profitable distance.

Identity Performance examines how rental family work forces people to inhabit identities, fiancé, father, journalist, for others' satisfaction. Phillip's self-image shifts from reluctant hire to someone who chooses authenticity over profit. The film explores what happens when identities are commodified and when performances collide with consent and trust.

The Ethics of Care theme addresses consent, exploitation, and boundaries of care in the rental relationship model. Aiko's abuse by clients reveals the darker side of performative apologies, while Shinji's business pragmatism exposes profit-driven manipulation. The film argues that care should never be hollow or coercive.

Freedom & Obligation examines Phillip's conflict between staying to build meaningful ties with Mia and Kikuo or returning to the United States. The story explores the tension between personal autonomy and obligation to those who depend on him, suggesting that choosing connection comes with both personal and ethical consequences.

Mia is a Hafū (mixed heritage) girl whose enrollment in a private school becomes a key plot point. She initially resents Phillip's involvement in her life but grows closer to him as they share moments of genuine connection, representing the film's exploration of chosen family bonds.

Aiko Nakajima is Phillip's coworker at Rental Family who sometimes acts as a mistress for clients. She discovers the harms of the system and ultimately breaks character to reveal the truth and help others, playing a pivotal role in exposing the exploitative side of the rental family business.